Who is Quetzalcoatl | 10 Curiosities of the Feathered Serpent God

Mesoamerica is the seat of many of the oldest customs and traditions related to Toltec gods , Mexicas, Mayas, among other civilizations. In this area of ​​the world we find interesting legends that have been transmitted generation after generation and, fortunately, nowadays it is possible to study and analyze them to understand what they were about and why they were so important. Next you will have the opportunity to know who is Quetzalcoatl, the Feathered Serpent God , from the curiosities of this divine being that we will share. Are you ready?

Quetzalcoatl is one of the most important gods of Mesoamerica , specifically the Mexica, Mayan, Olmec, Teotihuacan and Toltec civilizations were the ones that worshiped him. The term is translated as "Feathered Serpent", a name that refers to the legend of Quetzalcoatl and, of course, to its physical appearance. However, who is Quetzalcoatl and why is it said that he is one of the most important deities in this area of ​​America?

10 Curiosities that will help you understand who Quetzalcóatl is | Everything about this Mesoamerican god

1. Quetzalcoatl is the god from which it was possible to know the rest of the deities that are studied at present, hence one of its main importance, since without it it would be practically impossible for us to know the rest of gods of the mexicas .

2. When it comes to talking about who Quetzalcoatl is, it is necessary to know that for Mesoamerican civilizations this entity is the god of life , as well as there are people who consider it the god of fertility, of knowledge and of wisdom .

3. Quetzalcoatl has also been popularly known as Nahualpiltzintli , whose translation is understood as "prince of the nahuales", who were supernatural beings who were capable of becoming animals.

4. If you ask how it is possible that today we can know who Quetzalcoatl is, the answer is found in the Huehuetlahtolli documents , in which the teachings of this deity were recorded and, of course, have been translated for study.

5. In the Toltec culture it was believed that the god was capable of generate both good and evil about a civilization, which is why Quetzalcoatl has his antagonist, which is called Tezcatlipoca . While the god of life was in charge of protecting the Toltec civilization (and the other groups of the time), Tezcatlipoca represented the dark side, although it was also worshiped and, in fact, for the Aztecs this pair of deities they were brothers.

Quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipoca

6. For Mexica, the answer to who Quetzalcoatl is is even deeper. This civilization considered that the god in question was related to the planet Venus , which could be observed near a volcano in the region. The Mexica claimed that every time this event happened Quetzalcoatl would come to visit them.

7. It is believed that the first civilization that worshiped this deity were the Olmecs, who during the 15th and 5th centuries BC. they represented him.

8. On the other hand, in Teotihuacán the adoration for Quetzalcoatl was even more dedicated, in fact, in many of the artistic representations of the civilization of this area it is possible to observe the physical aspect of the god under the Image of the Feathered Serpent .

9. The Mixtecs define who is Quetzalcoatl from the name "Nine Wind" or "Coo Dzahui", whose meaning is "Serpent of rain". They worshiped the god in the caverns and considered himself in charge of teach them how to live in civilization .

10. If you would like to know who Quetzalcoatl is in the place where he was really worshiped in antiquity, you should travel to Teotihuacán or Xochicalco, where the Temple of Quetzalcóatl and the Feathered Serpent Temple .

Temple of Quetzalcoatl in Teotihuacán and Temple of the Feathered Serpent in Xochicalco

Now that you know a little more about who Quetzalcoatl is, the meaning for some of the Mesoamerican groups and, in addition, the importance of this god for the cultures in question, We invite you to leave your opinion in the comments area regarding the cult that these groups used to have to the gods of this type, taking into account that most civilizations were characterized by being polytheists, which is why it was completely normal to worship gods of wisdom, fertility, life and so on.